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PERSONAL NARRATIVES 


OF EVENTS IN THE 


Warofthe Rebellion, 


BEING PAPERS READ BEFORE THE 


RHODE ISLAND SOLDIERS AND SAILORS 
HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 


Sixth Series. —No. 6. 


PROVIDENCE : 

PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY, 

1903. 







SNOW & FAENHAM, PRINTERS. 


?$. fUcJQ. 

^.t r •) 3 


< i ( 





The Sword of Honor. 


FROM 

Captivity to Freedom. 


HANNIBAL A. JOHNSON, 

• • 

[Lieutenant Third. Maine Infantry,] 


PROVIDENCE : 

PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY, 

1903. 






hfeo i 

dkgs 


lOSk’M 


[Edition limited to two hundred and fifty copies.] 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


I enlisted at the age of nineteen from the city of 
Augusta, having been previously rejected without 
examination by my own brother, the recruiting 
officer at the city of Hallowell, our home, who was 
forming a company for the Third Maine Infantry. 
I was refused enlistment for the reason that I w r as 
physically unfit for the life of a soldier, and, as at 
that period, April, 1861, there were plenty of men 
only too anxious to enlist, they could choose their 
material, a thing which later in the war could not 
have been done. 

When the first gun was fired on Sumter I was at 
work in a dry goods store, weighed 112 pounds, and 
did not look like a very promising subject for Uncle 
Sam’s uniform, but I wanted to enlist just as badly 
as my big brother of 175 pounds. My first applica¬ 
tion at Augusta was to Captain Staples, Company 
B, but there met with the same reply, “Do not want 



6 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


you.” Instead of being discouraged, I determined 
to enlist, and, in the Third Maine, as the regiment 
was to be formed from companies from the Kenne¬ 
bec valley. So I applied to the adjutant-general of 
the state, and even he tried to discourage me. At 
last, however, he gave me a written permit for Cap¬ 
tain Staples to enroll me among his men. With this 
document I did not apply in vain, but was at onoe 
enlisted as a private in Company B. Now comes the 
singular sequel of this hasty opinion formed of what 
a person can do by the looks of his physical make¬ 
up; for when our regiment arrived at Harrison’s 
Landing, July 3d, after thirteen months’ service, 
three in the swamps of Chickahominy, marching, 
fighting, retreating, and enduring everything that 
was rough and tough in a soldier’s life, this brother 
of mine, captain of Company E, was taken on 
board the hospital ship a physical wreck, while I, 
his rejected brother, had not up to that hour seen 
a day of sickness, answered a doctor’s call, taken 
a blue pill or had my tongue examined by either 
our regimental surgeon or his officious hospital 
steward. In less than six months from this date, 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


7 


my brother and also my colonel were obliged to re¬ 
sign on account of severe and prolonged sickness. 
We shall hear from this brother of mine before I get 
out of the army, for after he recovered his health he 
was commissioned in the United States navy where 
he served until the end of the war. 

July 1, 1863, the Third Corps, of which my regi¬ 
ment was a part, arrived on the field of Gettysburg 
too late to take part in the action of the first day, 
but soon enough to find the situation anything but 
promising. The death of General Reynolds, the re¬ 
pulse of the First and Eleventh Army Corps, the 
abandonment of Seminary Ridge and the occupation 
of Cemetery Hill by the Federals, also the occupa¬ 
tion of Gettysburg town by the rebels after a battle 
of seven hours were events not at all encouraging. 
During the night both armies received heavy rein¬ 
forcements, and, as the Third, Sickles corps, was on 
the extreme left of the Union lines and supposed to 
be facing the right of the Confederate army, it was 
of the utmost importance to locate their position. 
Our regiment was posted in the Peach Orchard. On 
the morning of July 2d our command, numbering 


8 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


only 196 rifles with 100 United States sharpshooters, 
was ordered by General Sickles to reconnoiter the 
position of the enemy. At the word “forward” we 
advanced for half a mile outside our lines where a 
dense wood obstructed our front. We then advanced 
one-quarter of a mile through these woods, where 
our skirmishers became hotly engaged, driving the 
rebel skirmishers and pickets before us. We soon 
engaged the enemy in force, and they commenced to 
take us on the flank, attempting to cut off our line 
of retreat. We engaged this body of rebels for 
thirty minutes, though the odds were thousands, 
but when the bugle sounded the “retreat” we fought 
our way back foot by foot. We had nearly reached 
the open ground, when one of my men who had 
fought by my side for two long years fell with a 
musket ball through his hips, and, as he fell said, 
“Sergeant, don’t desert me. Help me out of these 
woods.” Another one of my company, noble fellow 
that he was, came to my assistance, and with his 
help I seated Call, the wounded man, across a mus¬ 
ket, and, with his arms around our necks, with the 
bullets flying around us, and with the exultant rebs 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


9 


at our heels twenty to our one, we were making slow 
but sure progress, when Jones dropped his end of 
the musket and fell dead, shot through the head. 
Before I could recover, get Call’s arms from around 
me and escape, for I could not think of trying to 
assist him farther alone, the Johnnies were on top 
and around us, and all three were prisoners. But a 
dead and wounded man were of no use to them, so 
I and a few equally unfortunate were secured. It 
is useless to attempt to describe a person’s feelings 
at the time of capture. No one knows anything 
about it except from dear bought experience. It is 
needless to say that I would have taken my chances 
with my regiment a hundred times over could the 
choice have been given me. 

I found that my captors were Wilcox’s brigade, 
a portion of A. P. Hill’s corps. How a single one of 
our little command ever escaped is strange. As it 
was we lost forty-eight men in killad and wounded 
in this single half-hour. Like all prisoners of war, 
we were taken to the rear far enough to be out of 
range of the guns of either army, but near enough 
to hear hundreds of cannons and thousands of 


10 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


rifles engaged in deadly conflict throughout that 
day and the following. 

We remained on or near the field until the night 
of July 4th, when with the beaten and retreating 
army of Lee we took up our line of march for the 
Potomac, which we crossed July 10th. Could the 
victorious army of Meade only have been informed 
of the condition of the Confederate army, nothing 
could have prevented their surrender or destruction, 
for they were discouraged, weary and beaten, with¬ 
out ammunition or food. 

When we arrived at the banks of the swollen Poto¬ 
mac at Point of Kooks, the pontoons by which we 
were to cross the river had been swept away by the 
sudden rise of water, as it had rained every¬ 
day since the battle. But no such good fortune 
was in store for us, and, after a little delay, pon¬ 
toons were collected, and we, with the hereto¬ 
fore victorious army of the Confederate leader, were 
soon over the river and on Virginia soil. Now for 
a long tramp down the Shenandoah valley to Staun¬ 
ton, Va., more than a hundred rnilos away. There 
were about 5,000 prisoners in our column, guarded 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


11 


by a few of Pickett’s division, who were left after 
their brave but unsuccessful charge. After being 
searched at Staunton and having our blankets and 
everything of value taken from us, we were put in 
box cars, sixty to a car, and started fcr the rebel 
capital, which we entered July 21, 1863, just two 
years to a day from the date of the battle of the 
first Bull Run. We prisoners, who were made up 
of all grades of commissioned, non-commissioned 
officers, and privates, were at first put in Libby 
prison, but soon the enlisted men were taken from 
Libby and put upon Belle Island, a small, sandy 
tract of land in the James River, just above but in 
close proximity and in sight of Richmond. Here 
we soon began to feel all the horrors of prison life, 
for the island was fearfully crowded; we had poor 
and insufficient food, little water, and only a few 
condemned army tents. Our rations were barely suf¬ 
ficient te keep body and soul together, and many 
would have died but for the hope of home and fu¬ 
ture deliverance. After seven weeks upon the island 
with 600 sick Yankees, I was taken to City Point 
to meet a flag of truce boat that had an equal num- 


12 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


ber of rebs, not sick, however, for when Confederate 
prisoners left our Federal prisons for the Southern 
lines they were in condition to join their armies at 
once, while Northern prisoners were subjects ready 
for their graves or lingering sickness in hospitals. 

When we came in sight of the flag of truce ship 
with the dear old Stars and Stripes floating over it, 
we forgot all our past troubles and privations. 
Never did it seem so dear to us as now, although as 
soldiers it had meant very much more than a beau¬ 
tiful piece of bunting; but now it meant protection 
and liberty. We were taken on the flagship as soon 
as the 600 well-dressed and fat rebel prisoners, that 
were to be paroled for us sick and weak soldiers 
came off. We were fed at once on soft bread and 
coffee, and if ever food tasted sweet that first meal 
did. Arrived at the Annapolis parole camp, I was 
at once taken to the hospital. When I had recovered 
sufficiently I had a short furlough home. I remained 
there some ten days when an order was issued from 
the War Department declaring all paroled prisoners 
of war legally exchanged and ordering that those 
that were able were to report for duty to their regi- 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


13 


ments at once. October 15th I joined my regiment in 
the field at Brandy Station, Va., glad to be with the 
old Third again and fight for and under the flag I 
had learned to love so well. 

May 4th under General Grant the Army of the 
Potomac commenced its onward march toward the 
rebel capital and that night our division encamped 
on the old battlefield of Chancellorsville, and the 
following day found us hotly engaged in the battle 
of the Wilderness. During this engagement and 
while our brigade and regiment were having a most 
desperate struggle with the enemy a report came to 
our colonel that there was a rebel line in our rear, or 
in other words we were flanked; also instructions 
that he should furnish an officer to accompany Gen¬ 
eral Ward’s chief of staff and find out the truth of 
the report. My colonel said I was selected to accom¬ 
pany Captain Nash and to lose no time in reporting 
as to the truth of this startling rumor. We 
started to the rear on the run, as we did not con¬ 
sider it necessary to use much caution in going in 
this direction. Less than three minutes found us in 


14 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


the midst of a rebel line of infantry lying down so 
close to the earth that we mistook them in the im¬ 
perfect light of the woods for the ground itself, and, 
before we had time to change our courre, they were 
on their feet and around us. I grasped the terrible 
situation and turned to run for life and the front. 
Nash, who had never been a prisoner of war, sur¬ 
rendered as he saw resistance was useless, worse 
than folly, but I with my seven weeks of horrible 
prison life just passed and all its terrible features 
still fresh in my mind, thought that life again in a 
Southern prison was not worth saving. So I made 
another dash for liberty, when a hundred muskets 
at less than fifteen paces covered me with the order 
to surrender or I was a dead Yankee. I did surren¬ 
der and was at once disarmed. Snatching my 
sword from my body, a Confederate captain 
of infantry buckled it around his own body in 
exchange for a poor one that he had worn; his 
name was J. C. B. Smith, Twelfth South Carolina 
Infantry, as I learned thirteen years later. This 
Confederate command entered our lines where they 
did not connect, but being a small body, if word 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


15 


could have been taken to the front, a short distance 
away, every man could have been captured. The 
only result of their trip was the capture of a few 
prisoners. 

The day after capture, May 6th, we were taken 
with 300 prisoners gathered from the battlefield on 
the day before to Orange Court House, distant 
twenty-seven miles, where we remained over night. 
The following day we were put into box cars and 
taken to Gordonsville where we were searched by 
the Confederate authorities and everything of value 
taken from us. May 8th we were taken to Lynch¬ 
burg and there put in the military prison. June 1st 
we were removed to Macon, Ga., where a large camp 
of Federal officers, all prisoners of war, had been 
established. I knew if the four lieutenants who 
were captured by Mosby on their way to Gettysburg 
more than twelve months before were still alive 
they must be in this prison stockade at Macon; and 
almost the first persons I saw as we pased inside 
the inclosure were Lieutenants Anderson and Day, 
and, as soon as they had got their mouths closed 
from crying “fresh fish” as usual to all new ar- 


16 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


rivals, they rushed forward more pleased to see me 
than I them, as I was the only officer they had seen 
from the regiment during their long term of impris¬ 
onment. 

Every prisoner after a time accumulates little 
articles that make prison life endurable, and Lieut¬ 
enant Anderson was quartered under a sort of shed 
or simply a roof of boards which he invited me to 
share, and also loaned me his cooking utensils, 
which were half a canteen, that he used to cook his 
corn meal in, for at that time the commissary was 
issuing to the prisoners sorghum and corn meal. 
For a bag for my meal I used one of the legs of my 
flannel drawers. The only fault I ever found with 
this improvised bag was that it was altogether too 
large for the quantity of meal issued. 

We remained at Macon until August 15th, and 
just before this date our camp was honored by the 
presence of General Stoneman of cavalry fame, who 
had been captured with a portion of his command 
outside the city, while trying to liberate us from our 
captivity. About this date, 800 officers, I among 
the number, were put on the cars, but for what pur- 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


17 


pose or destination we knew not; we knew it was 
to be a free ride; as to the direction we were not 
consulted, but our final stopping place was Charles¬ 
ton, S. C. Here we were distributed among the 
different buildings prepared for our reception, viz., 
the Roper and the Marine hospitals, the workhouse 
and the city jail, the latter being my stopping place; 
but I had learned not to be particular in my hotels, 
so said nothing when I was put in a seven by nine 
cell. 

At that time the city of Charleston was under a 
state of siege from the water side. General Foster 
was daily and nightly throwing shells from the bat¬ 
teries on Morris Island, Battery Gregg and the 
Swamp Angel, right into the heart of the city, and 
we had been taken to this place and put in the most 
exposed locations to prevent if possible, the bom¬ 
bardment of this rebel stronghold. Our Government 
was notified of this inhuman act, which was a vio¬ 
lation of all articles of honorable warfare. Fos¬ 
ter paid not the slighest attention to the demand to 
cease firing upon the city on account of our exposed 
position, but if anything increased the severity of 


18 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


the siege. As the casualties among the prisoners 
from this artillery duel were very small, being so 
well sheltered in these buildings, we rather enjoyed 
the change in our prison life, and liked to watch the 
effects of three hundred-pound shell from guns 
four miles away. One of the strangest parts of this 
duel was that my brother, who had resigned from 
the army fifteen months before, had recovered, and, 
having been commissioned in the United States 
navy, was taking part in the siege of this South¬ 
ern city. Here he showed his brotherly feeling not 
only by this red hot reception in the way of shell 
and solid shot, but also by sending from the fleet, 
while I was confined in Charleston, a box of every¬ 
thing that would have made our hearts and stom¬ 
achs glad could it have been received. I learned of 
my brother’s location off Charleston by the capture 
of one of his brother officers attached to the same 
ship, who was caught while doing picket duty un¬ 
der the walls of Sumter. 

My diary commences at this date, September 17th, 
as follows: 

Shells from our guns caused a large fire last 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


19 


night, destroying twenty-nine buildings, several 
shells striking our prison, but not doing much in¬ 
jury. 

Sept. 20. Gave draft on rebel broker for $100 in 
gold, receiving $1,000 in Confederate money in ex¬ 
change, but as this broker had to run the blockade 
to present this draft for payment in the North, 
there was not much chance of its ever being hon¬ 
ored and paid. (But unfortunately they were, and 
when the premium on gold was at 235, as I found 
to my discomfiture when 1 finally went North.) 

Sept. 25. Two hundred officers left our prison 
for exchange; happy few. Naval officers received 
money and boxes from fleet, but most of the con¬ 
tents of boxes had been taken. 

Sept. 28. More shelling to-day than any twenty- 
four hours since being in Charleston, Foster throw¬ 
ing ninety very heavy shells into the upper part of 
the town. 

Sept. 30. Naval officers left for Richmond to be 
exchanged. 

Oct. 1. Firing on the city continues very heavy. 
Eighty-four shell thrown during the past twenty- 
four hours. 


20 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


Oct. 2. Shelling of the city unusually severe, 
170 heavy shells having left Foster’s guns for 
Charleston during the past twelve hours. 

Oct. 5. Without an hour’s notice started on the 
Southern Georgia Railroad for Columbia, arriving 
at that city at 12 midnight. We regret this last 
change for we were better sheltered in Charleston, 
notwithstanding the exposure to the guns of Fos¬ 
ter, than in any other point inside the rebel lines. 
Yellow Jack was said to be the cause of our re¬ 
moval. 

Oct. 6. Placed in an open field and kept in the 
burning sun all day without shelter or rations of 
any kind. Toward night it commenced raining and 
continued throughout the night, and we, without 
blankets or coats passed a sleepless and miserable 
night. 

Oct. 7. Early this morning we were given a small 
piece of bread and then marched two miles from the 
city and left in an open field without a tent or even 
a single tree for protection. 

Oct. 8. Last night I suffered more from the cold 
than ever before in a single night, the frost being 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


21 


very heavy and the ground our only bed. Such in¬ 
humanity on the part of the authorities is uncalled 
for, for there are plenty of vacant buildings in Co¬ 
lumbia that could shelter us until some arrange¬ 
ments con’d be made. , 

Oct. 9. Passed another fearfully cold night with¬ 
out shelter. Although the early months of the 
Fall we have frost. Had axes given us to-day, four 
for each 100 men. 

Oct. 10. Passed the night more comfortably, as 
our tent of pine boughs keeps off the cold very well. 

Oct. 17. We had an election to-day in our camp 
for president, and of the 1,161 votes cast Lincoln 
received 889, McClellan stock being very unpopular. 
This result was much of a surprise to the prison 
authorities who supposed the camp was strong for 
McClellan and said, before we had balloted, they 
would print in the Columbia papers the vote as it 
was cast; but when they learned the result, refused. 

Oct. 19. Camp alarmed; guards firing all along 
the line on account of some of our men trying to 
escape. Hounds were put on their track and they 
were soon recaptured and brought back to camp. 


22 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


Oct. 21. Lieutenant Young, Fourth Pennsylvania 
Cavalry, accidently shot; died at once. 

Oct. 26. Some of our officers in attempting to 
escape last night were fired on by the guard, do¬ 
ing them no injury, but on the contrary shot one of 
their own men. Hope to take this chance myself 
before long. Might as well be shot in attempting to 
escape as to die from exposure and lack of sufficient 
food. One of our officers shot fatally while attempt¬ 
ing to escape last night. 

Nov. 7. Thirteen officers brought into camp to¬ 
day having some days before succeeded in getting by 
the guard at night, but were recaptured, as every 
white man in the country is hunting for rebel de¬ 
serters or for escaping Yankee prisoners. 

Nov. 9. Twenty-one officers recaptured and 
brought back to camp, but believe if I can once get 
outside the rebel guard, I can succeed in reaching 
our lines either at the coast or at Knoxville, Tenn., 
500 miles distant. 

Nov. 12. Received box from home, but most of 
its contents had been confiscated by the prison au¬ 
thorities before it was delivered to me. 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


23 


Nov. 20. Another one of our men shot last night 
while trying to run the guard. 

Nov. 21. Last night three officers, Lieutenants 
Anderson and Gilman of my regiment and Lieuten¬ 
ant Childs of the Sixteenth Maine, also myself, made 
a break for liberty and God’s country by running 
down the guard. Had him helpless and at our 
mercy; the balance of the guard fired upon us, but 
in the darkness and confusion of the moment, we 
escaped into the woods unharmed. 

It was in the midst of a severe rainstorm when 
we broke camp, the night being pitch dark was 
all the better for our project, but as we had no stars 
for a guide, or compasses, we had to go it blind. 
We only knew that Knoxville lay in a northwesterly 
direction from Columbia, and our aim was to travel 
as nearly in that course as possible, so we struck 
out for all that we were worth, wishing to put as 
much distance between us and prison camp before 
morning as possible. Traveled in the woods the en¬ 
tire night and what seemed to us to be twenty miles, 
and about daylight lay down in the woods to rest 
and get some sleep. Had slept perhaps an hour 


24 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


when we were awakened by the sound of drums 
beating; we were upon our feet in an instant, and, 
as soon as we could get our scattered ideas together, 
found to our surprise and horror that we were lis¬ 
tening to the rebel reveille at our prison camp at 
Columbia, and instead of being miles away from 
that hated spot, were within a half mile of its 
grounds. In the darkness of the night we had been 
traveling in a circle, and we then knew it would 
only be good luck and fortune that would prevent 
us sleeping the next night in prison camp. Lay in 
the woods all that day and at night started again, 
as we hoped in the right direction; it was still rain¬ 
ing; toward morning struck the Saluda River, and 
determined to follow that stream for a guide until 
we found something better; traveled all that day 
and at dusk ran into a plantation by accident; be¬ 
fore we could retreat started the hounds, and soon 
a pack of these man hunters were after us, we run¬ 
ning as we never did before. It would have been 
a short race if it had not been for the river that we 
had left a short time before, for we made for that, 
plunged into its icy waters and were, for the time, 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


25 


safe as far as the dogs were concerned. Slept in 
the woods for a few hours in our wet clothes until 
the moon arose, for the weather at last had cleared, 
then took the main road to Lexington Court House. 

Nov. 23. Struck the river again this morning, but 
have not found the proper road yet, or one that leads 
in the right direction. Came very near being cap¬ 
tured by running on some white men, but saw them 
first, concealed ourselves, and escaped. For the 
past twenty-four hours have had nothing to eat but 
dry corn which we found in the fields. Must find 
some trusty negro who will feed us and put us on 
the right road. At night we approached a negro 
cabin for the first time; we did it with fear and 
trembling, but we must have food and help. Found 
a family of trusty negroes belonging to Colonel 
Boozier, who gave us a good supper, such as we had 
not had for many long months, and we did full jus¬ 
tice to it for we were almost famished. Here we re¬ 
mained till nearly morning, when we were taken to 
the woods and hid there to wait for a guide which 
these negroes say they would furnish at dark. Dis¬ 
tance made the past twenty-four hours twenty-five 
miles. 



26 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


Nov. 24. Still in the woods, the women coming 
to us twice during the day to bring us food and in¬ 
form us that a guide will be ready at dark. God 
bless the poor slaves. At dark Frank took us seven 
miles, flanking Lexington Court House, striking the 
Augusta road five miles above. Traveled all night, 
making about twenty-two miles. 

Nov. 25. Lay in the woods all day, and at night 
went to William Ford’s plantation to get food. 
Here the negroes could not do enough for us, sup¬ 
plying us with edibles of a nice character. 

Nov. 26. Remained in a corn house during the 
day, the blacks bringing us plenty of food. At 
night our guide informed us that he could not take 
the road with us until the following night, so we 
were obliged to wait one day longer; but it may be 
as well, for the negroes report that Sherman is near¬ 
ing Augusta. If so, we may attempt to strike his 
army rather than continue our long tramp to Knox¬ 
ville, Tenn. 

Nov. 27. Still at Ford’s plantation, where we 
are kept secreted during the day, but at night go to 
the negro cabins where we are plentifully fed. 



FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


27 


Eleven officers who escaped from Columbia the 
day after we did joined our party, and we are going 
to get horses and arms if possible and make a bold 
push for Tennessee. 

Nov. 28. Still at Ford’s. The party that joined 
us yesterday have given up the idea of attempting 
a bold move on Tennessee. About midnight we got 
a guide by the name of Bob to take us seven miles 
on the Edgefield road, as the Augusta state road is 
too public to travel, and some of our officers were 
captured on that road to-day. Turned over by Bob to 
a guide by the name of George, who hid us in the 
woods. 

Nov. 29. George has brought us food during the 
day, and will try to get us a guide to-night. At dark 
went to the negro quarters, where a nice chicken 
supper was waiting us. This is on the Lee planta¬ 
tion, the owner, an officer in the rebel army, now at 
home on sick leave. Could not get a guide to-night, 
so were taken to the woods and hidden. 

Nov. 30. George came to us in the morning with 
a warm breakfast and we could appreciate it after 
lying in the cold woods all night without any pro- 


28 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


tection and scantily clothed. At night went again 
to the cabin where another chicken supper was wait¬ 
ing us. This kind of living is in marked contrast 
to our prison fare for the past seven months, and, 
if we were not in constant dread of recapture, also 
making such slow progress toward our lines, should 
think we were not very badly off. 

Dec. 1. Just comfortable for a winter’s day. At 
night after eating the usual diet of chicken, Peter, 
our guide, told us he was ready for the road. Went 
about twelve miles Tvhen Joe took us in charge and 
Peter started for home again. Were then hidden 
in the Tvoods for the day. 

Dec. 2. As soon as daylight the negroes on this 
place commenced coming to where we were hidden, 
all having something for us in the way of food; they 
also promise us a guide for the night. If such kind¬ 
ness will not make one an Abolitionist then his 
heart must be made of stone. This is on the Mat¬ 
thews place. At dark were taken to the Widow 
Hardy’s plantation, where chickens, etc., were served 
for our supper. Here Jim took us eight miles, and 
gave us into the care of Arthur, who, after going 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


29 


with us fifteen miles, gave us to Vance who hid us 
in the woods. At dark Vance brought us more 
chickens for our evening meal, then started on the 
road with us going eight miles, then Charles took 
us, he going five miles; then David took us four 
miles, he giving us into the care of Hanson who took 
us a short distance and left us at the Preston 
Brook’s plantation (late United States Congressman 
from South Carolina). Distance made during the 
night about twenty miles. This plantation is lo¬ 
cated at a place called 96, and is one of the best 
equipped and most extensive places we have yet 
come across. Here one of Brooks’s negroes who 
goes by the name of Russell took us in charge. His 
first duty was to hide us in the woods, or rather a 
pine thicket too near the widow’s house for absolute 
safety. 

Dec. 4. Early this morning the slaves brought 
us a nice breakfast, for everything is in first-class 
condition on this place; do not seem to have felt 
the effects of the war as the rest of the country 
we have passed through. We are now less than 
one-eighth of a mile from the Brooks’s homestead, 


30 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


where the widow and her children live, three 
daughters and one son, who no doubt would like to 
hang us Northern mudsills, as their late father was 
wont to call us, if they only knew how near we are 
to them; for we very well know their feeling toward 
us of the North by the cowardly assault of the hus¬ 
band and father, Preston S. Brooks, upon the per¬ 
son of Charles Sumner in the halls of Congress just 
before the war, and the Rebellion has not improved 
or sweetened their dispositions. The day being 
Sunday the family are going to church and the 
Brooks house servant, who has been in the woods to 
see us, has promised after the family are out of the 
house to show us the identical cane that Brooks 
used upon the uncovered and defenseless head of 
our senator. After the family were out of 
the house this woman brought a wash leather sack 
into the thicket for our examination. The cane 
was a large rosewood stick with a massive gold 
head, and on its face this inscription: “Hon. 
P. S. Brooks from B. D. Vick.” Must have been 
a presentation cane from some admirer of this 
Southern bully. The stick used upon the head of Sum- 





FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


31 


ner was broken in three pieces. My great desire was 
to take this cane away with me, and I so expressed 
myself, but the servant protested with so much ear¬ 
nestness that I gave up the idea, for she said the 
house was left in her charge, an if this cane was 
missed, which it certainly would be, she would be 
called upon to produce it or satisfactorily explain 
its absence. 

/ 

We, at that time, were entirely helpless without 
the assistance of these poor ignorant negroes. We 
were dependent upon them for food, shelter, and 
guides; so it was incumbent upon us not to make 
them any unnecessary trouble when they were risk¬ 
ing so much for us; and for that reason alone this 
cane is still at 96, South Carolina, instead of 
being in the hands of some of Sumner’s personal 
friends in Massachusetts, who would appreciate it 
as a memento and relic of those troublesome times 
that preceded the war which ended at last in the 
freedom of the slaves of the South. 

At this time it was cold, ice forming every 
night, and, we had escaped from prison with only 
what we stood in, and not much of that; but here 


32 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


we received valuable additions to our worldly posses¬ 
sions, each a warm comfortable, more valuable than 
gold or all the canes in the South, one pair of pants_, 
one pair of socks, one pair of knit gloves, and food 
in abundance. I think a good portion of the entire 
donation must have come from the Brooks house 
rather than the negro quarters; but as beggars 
should not be choosers, and, as the end justifies the 
means we asked no questions but willingly and 
thankfully received this Godsend to us in our des¬ 
titute and almost naked condition. At night we 
bade good-by to the Brooks plantation and its most 
loyal servants, and every mile that we advanced to¬ 
wards our journey’s end, Tennessee, the stronger 
was our regard for the poor blacks, for to be de¬ 
tected feeding or assisting an escaping Federal sol¬ 
dier was the promise of one hundred lashes, well 
laid on; although knowing this would certainly fol¬ 
low, they never failed to meet us with full hands and 
willing hearts and feet, never weary in accompany¬ 
ing us nights away into the small hours of another 
day, and always after a hard day’s work. But 
thank Heaven or the fortunes of war, I had within 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


33 


eight months of that date an opportunity to return 
some of the many favors done me by these same 
faithful negroes, but at no sacrifice or risk on my 
part as it was on theirs, so I take no credit upon 
myself for what I did. That night we made no 
progress; were simply taken three miles up the road 
and left in a better place of security, as it was not 
possible to find a guide for us, a darkey by the name 
of Dan taking us in charge. 

Dec. 5. At dark we were taken four miles, when 
we found we were going in the wrong direction, re¬ 
traced our steps, got another guide who took us to 
Colonel Frazier’s. Distance in right direction about 
ten miles. During the night crossed the railroad 
above 96, and here Ned took us in charge. The boys 
on this place were good foragers, for while with 
them we lived on the fat of the land. At dark, 
December 6th, two of the Frazier servants took us 
eighteen miles and then gave us into the hands of 
Ben and Harrison, who took us to Henry Jones’s 
place. Just before we arrived at this plantation it 
commenced raining and we got as wet as if thrown 
into the Saluda River. Here we were put into a 


34 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


negro cabin with a fire and bed at our disposal, and 
we took advantage of both. 

Dec. 7. Our breakfast was bacon and eggs and 
pea coffee, also a good dinner with negroes to watch 
the cabin during the day to see that we were not 
surprised and captured; best place we have yet 
struck not excepting the Brooks place. At night 
Henry took us to Elijah Waters, he in turn to Sam 
Jones, distance nine miles; he giving us, after going 
five miles, to the keeping of Andrew who hid us in 
the woods for the rest of the night. 

Dec. 8. Nice breakfast of chicken, wheat bread, 
and preserves, and at dark after taking a warm sup¬ 
per Ned took us six miles, giving us to John Wes¬ 
ley, who after going eleven miles turned us over to 
Sandy Latimore who w r ent three miles, he giving us 
to Balus who went six miles, he finally leaving us 
with Sam Matterson, making twenty-three miles 
during the night with four different guides. 

Dec. 9. We were hiding in the woods w T hen it 
commenced snowing, the first of the season; soon 
our guide came for us and hid us for the day in 
a negro cabin. At night some negroes came six 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


35 


miles through the storm to bring us food. We are 
gaining in strength and weight, for we are eating 
most of the time when we are not on the road tramp¬ 
ing. The snow being so deep it is not safe to travel 
to-night, so we are hidden in a fodder barn. 

Dec. 10. This morning two poor runaway slaves, 
brother and sister, came to see us. They are living 
in the woods to keep out of the way of their master, 
and are suffering much from exposure this cold and 
wet weather, and they think that because we are 
from the North we can help them; but we are in as 
bad if not worse shape than they, for we are 
liable to capture in any unguarded moment. The 
slightest carelessness or accident may throw us into 
the hands of the enemy which is every white face in 
the South. So, although we sympathize with them 
in their terrible situation, yet we can do nothing to 
relieve them. It has continued raining and snowing 
and we are very fortunate to have even this fodder 
barn for shelter; yet here it is fearfully cold as the 
corn-stalks do not keep us warm. 

Dec. 11. Emmanuel came to see us last night 
and said it was not safe to travel as the snow would 



36 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


prove an enemy, so we keep hidden and wait for th 
weather to clear. 

Dec. 12. Last night we almost froze, and had we 
been on the tramp think we should have perished 
with the cold. Even in this fodder barn the drink¬ 
ing water in our pail froze almost solid in twelve 
hours. But we must start to-night, cold or not. 
Another chicken supper, and at ten o’clock we took 
the road, making nineteen miles before daylight. 
Tough on our poorly shod feet, as it was snow, ice, 
and water every foot that we traveled; but every 
mile, although marched in pain and discomfort 
brings us nearer the Union lines and God’s country. 

Dec. 13. Lay in the woods all day. Last night 
was the first time we have attempted to travel with¬ 
out a guide. Passed through Pickensville and at 
this point took the wrong road, for instead of taking 
the Pumpkintown road, by mistake took the Pickens 
Court House road; distance made during the night 
seventeen miles. 

Dec. 14. At dark started by ourselves, struck a 
cross road where four roads met, but the guideboard 
being gone were at a loss which one to take. Took 





FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


37 


the one we thought right, and, after traveling two 
hours, were at a loss to know where we were, hut 
made up our minds to approach a house, find our 
location, get further directions, also something to 
eat, for we had been on allowance for the past 
twenty-four hours. Fortunately we struck the 
cabin of a Union woman and her three children 
by the name of Prince, and she proved a princess to 
us who fed and warmed us, for we were wet, hungry, 
and cold. After this woman was convinced we were 
escaping Union prisoners of war, she opened her 
heart to us; told us that her husband was a Union 
man but had been obliged to go into the rebel army, 
where he was shot and died. She also told us that 
ten miles from her house, up in the mountains, there 
was a camp of outliers made up of rebel deserters 
and Union men who had never been in the Confed¬ 
erate army, who were living in caves in the moun¬ 
tains to avoid being captured and shot or taken into 
the army by a company of rangers who were in the 
Confederate service. These outliers had told this 
Union woman, Mrs. Prince, that if she ever came 
across any Yankee prisoners that were making for 


38 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


the Yankee lines, to bring them to their camp and 
they would go through the mountains with them and 
join the Federal army. After hearing this, to us 
welcome news, getting dry and rested, we at about 
midnight with this Union woman for a guide started 
for this outliers’ camp, which we reached just before 
daylight, for it was ten long miles and in a moun¬ 
tainous country. A rougher looking set of men I 
never saw, all armed to the teeth with knives, revol¬ 
vers, muskets, rifles or axes, and at first we did not 
> know but what this woman had betrayed us to a 
pack of bushwhackers. 

Dec. 15. This camp consisted of about fifteen 
men, whose homes were scattered through the moun¬ 
tains. To these homes they go occasionally to get 
food or a change of clothing, or else their families 
come into the mountains to see them, and living 
such a life as they do are willing and anxious to go 
through to Tennessee with us, and we are very glad 
of their company, for they are familiar with all the 
passes in the mountains. At night went to another 
haunt in the mountains where these men are kept 
hidden. 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


39 


Dec. 16. This morning the outliers began to come 
into our camp having heard we were there, and now 
we have twenty men well armed who will go through 
to our lines with us or die in the attempt. The wives 
of these men came to see us to-day and said they 
were willing their husbands and sons should go 
with us for they are certain to be caught and shot 
by the rangers before long, as they are constantly 
being run from one camp to another. Went at night 
to the house of two Union women, and it is a 
relief to talk with people whose principles are so 
loyal, for it has been all secesh for so many months. 

Dec. 17. The Union women came to our camp 
before daylight this morning to see their husbands. 
These rough mountaineers are intelligent and true 
as steel. Can fire a rifle and bring down a deer as 
well as a man. At dark went with two outliers to 
their homes up the mountains ten miles away; 
slept in a feather bed for the first time for three 
years, but with my clothing on all ready to jump 
and take to the woods if we are surprised by the 
rangers. 

Dec. 18. At daylight we three went into the 


40 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


mountain to remain until dark, for the rangers are 
all out and we must keep out of their way. At dark 
went back to the house once more, got a warm 
supper, then went down the mountain to a good 
Union man by the name of Alexander, where we re¬ 
mained all night, and during the night some twenty 
Union women arrived at this house, for this is the 
spot agreed upon to start for Tennesee. 

Dec. 19. To-night we start for Knoxville ia ear 
nest, for our party now numbers forty-six men, 
quite a strong party for the rangers to strike. The 
parting between these men and their wives and 
children was very affecting, for they love their kin 
with a devotion and affection I never before wit¬ 
nessed. Traveled in a mountainous country all 
night, making about sixteen miles. 

Dec. 20. Remained in the mountains all day, 
and at night it commenced raining very hard, so we 
were obliged to remain where we were for the night. 

Dec. 21. Went to the summit of Chimney Top 
Mountain, and remained there until the next morn¬ 
ing. We are now within three-quarters of a 
mile of the North Carolina line, which we shall soon 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


41 


cross and be glad to get out of the state of South 
Carolina. Crossed the first range of the Blue 
Ridge. The mountains we have crossed during the 
day have been covered with snow and ice, and it is 
as cold on their top as in Maine in winter. 

Dec. 23. Yesterday we made twenty miles and at 
night encamped at the foot of Hog Back Mountain. 

Dec. 24. This morning fourteen of our party 
started back to South Carolina, frightened at the 
prospect of meeting Indians some thirty miles in 
advance of us; also are afraid of the snow and cold 
we are encountering in these fearful mountains. 
They say they had rather be shot at their own doors 
by the rangers and be buried by their families, than 
die of cold and starvation so far away from home. 
We do not blame them, but we have no choice left 
us; must press through although the prospect is very 
gloomy. A mistake taking this fearful course in 
midwinter through these mountains that are full of 
snow, and we dressed in summer clothing, no under¬ 
clothes; stockings w T orn out days since, shoes all to 
pieces and clothing in rags from rough usage in the 
mountains, as we slip and fall every dozen steps. 


42 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


Got a guide from this section who says he will 
go through with us, as our present South Caro¬ 
lina friends are no good to us; are so far away from 
home that they know no more of the passes in the 
mountains ahead of us than we Yankees. Crossed 
Tennessee Mountains to-day, the highest range we 
have yet struck, being three miles to its top. Made 
fifteen miles to-day. 

Dec. 25. Early to-day crossed a very high peak 
known as the Balsam Mountain, three and a half 
miles to the summit, and, being covered with snow, 
was very hard to climb. At noon crossed the Rich 
Mountain, another very high peak, and at its top we 
seemed to be above the clouds. At night encamped 
at the foot of Chestnut Mountain in a very severe 
snowstorm which continued all night. Distance 
made, thirteen miles. 

Dec. 26. Crossed many high mountains during 
the day and at night encamped near the state road 
that leads to Georgia. Have been on allowance 
since Saturday, only three bites of bread and meat 
for twenty-four hours. Distance made, twelve 
miles. 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


43 


Dec. 27. Crossed the state road at daylight. We 
are now four miles past Scott’s Creek, Balsam 
Mountain, which took us all day to cross, encamping 
at night at the foot of Catalouch Mountain in a 
rainstorm. Distance made, only eight miles. 

Dec. 28. It rained all last night and this morn¬ 
ing, commenced snowing and continued all day, and 
God only knows whether we shall ever be able to 
stand the exposure and suffering we are hourly 
called upon to endure. Seems as though there must 
be a limit to our strength and power to suffer. Are 
now living on raw corn and wet chestnuts which we 
find in these mountains, for our food gave out a 
number of days ago. Teeth and gums are so sore 
from eating this kind of food that it is painful to 
open and close our mouths. Distance made to-day, 
nine miles. 

Dec. 29. Snowed again last night until morning. 
No sleep for any of us. Went to a house for food 
and directions, for we are almost starved. Found a 
good Union man who fed us and gave us the infor¬ 
mation wanted. Distance, ten miles. 

Dec. 30. Slept in a house last night, and if ever 


44 


THE SWOED OF HONOR. 


I enjoyed the protection of a roof it was on this oc¬ 
casion, for we have had nothing but the heavens for 
a covering for many days; rain, snow and cold to 
contend with, always with wet feet and frequently 
thoroughly wet from head to foot for several days 
at a time, hungry, tired, and discouraged; the pro¬ 
tection of this roof and a full stomach once more 
makes me think life is worth struggling for a little 
while longer. We are now within one mile of the 
main road to Knoxville, which I hope we can take, 
for we have suffered so much in the mountains that 
I want to leave them at once and forever. The 
party have concluded to take to the mountains 
again, for we hear there are guards on the road. 
Started over the mountains once more, but after go¬ 
ing four miles three of us vowed we could go no 
farther through the mountains, but would take the 
road, guards or no guards; so we left the main party 
with one of our Third Maine lieutenants, S. L. Gil¬ 
man; and Anderson, Childs, and myself, started 
for the public highway. Came near capture, as 
we were approaching a house where we had been 
told lived a loyal Tennessean, who, unknown to us, 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


45 


was feeding four rebel cavalrymen; but as we 
jumped the fence to enter the house his wife chanced 
to come to the door, and, seeing us, just in the nick 
of time, motioned us back and away. We kept the 
house in sight, and, after the rebs had filled up, 
mounted their horses and drove off, we took our 
turn, and had a square meal from the same table 
that the Johnnies had vacated. 

Dec. 31. Remained at this house all night, for we 
were too tired to continue our trip. 

Jan. 1. Went six miles last night with the rebel 
cavalry just ahead of us, but as long as we kept them 
there we were all right. Stopped at night at Jimmy 
Caldwell’s, a good Union man, who, after feeding us, 
hid us in his barn, not thinking it safe for us to re¬ 
main in his house. 

Jan. 2. Remained in the barn during the day, 
were fed by loyal Union women; took the road again 
at dark, making twelve miles very comfortably dur¬ 
ing the night, for we are now traveling on the pub¬ 
lic highway. 

Jan. 3. Hid during the day and night. Are near¬ 
ing our lines. Must be cautious and not get cap¬ 
tured when so near God’s country. 


46 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


Jan. 4. Took the road at daylight and made six¬ 
teen miles during the day. 

Jan. 5. Came into the Union lines at noon to¬ 
day meeting a squad of the Tenth Michigan Cavalry, 
who were out getting fodder for their horses. Slept 
at night in the camp of the First Ohio Heavy Artil¬ 
lery. Distance made, nineteen miles. Made a por¬ 
tion of it on one of the army wagons which were out 
with the Tenth Michigan gathering forage. 

Jan. 6. Pressed three horses of the farmers and 
rode to Knoxville, some twenty-five miles distant, 
entering that city January 7th, after being on the 
road seven weeks. 

No human being can imagine our feelings as we 
entered that city unless he has been in the same 
situation that we had been in; could hardly 
realize our situation; were more like children than 
men; would first laugh at our good fortune and then 
we could not keep back the tears when we knew it 
was all true, and we were at last in God’s country 
and our sufferings at an end. We were like a man 
condemned and then at the last moment receiving a 
pardon, for we were hoping against hope during our 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


47 


entire trip; hoped to get through yet there were so 
many things to prevent it, for the slightest accident 
or carelessness in any unguarded moment would 
have proved our ruin, and we did not feel safe or 
willing to speak above a whisper until we were in 
the lines at Knoxville; and even ten days after our 
arrival w r e would speak to each other in a whisper. 

After our long trip through the mountains of 
South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee, we 
were fit subjects for a sick bed, and, after reporting 
to the commander of the post we were admitted to 
the Government hospital to get a change of cloth¬ 
ing, and eight months of rebel dirt from our persons, 
also shelter for the brief stay we should make in that 
city. We arrived at Knoxville Saturday, and the 
next day Lieutenant Gilman, with his party of 
South Carolina outliers arrived all right but terri¬ 
bly worn out. They were given quarters at the same 
institution we were in, and all, both Southerners 
and Yankees, received the same kindness. 

As our regiment had been out of service since the 
previous June by reason of expiration of its three 
years of honorable and severe service, we of the 


48 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


Third were ordered to report to our state capital for 
final muster out, while Lieutenant Childs of the Six¬ 
teenth Maine, whose command was still in the field, 
was ordered to report to Washington for orders. 
We were given transportation home, and on our 
papers or blanks was the notice that we were offi¬ 
cers that had successfully escaped from Southern 
prisons, and we received many acts of kindness and 
attention on our way North. Received tw^o months’ 
pay at Louisville, Ky., so were in good condition 
financially to enjoy the trip home. Arrived at Au¬ 
gusta, Me., Jan. 28, 1865, where I was mustered out 
and paid all due me from the Government. 

The war at that time was nearly over, yet no one 
knew how long it might last, and, after I had got 
over my fatigue and replaced some of the flesh lost 
in my long captivity, I had a strong desire to see 
the end of the war and was anxious to get back to 
the army again; and, after remaining at home about 
six weeks, was commissioned by the governor as first 
lieutenant of one of the four companies then form¬ 
ing at Augusta to recruit the Fifteenth Maine, then 
in the field; but when we joined them in the valley 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


49 


early in April, we found their ranks filled from 
other sources. So our command of four companies 
was made into a battalion called the First Maine 
Unattached Battalion. Our senior captain was 
commissioned lieutenant-colonel, I was made his ad¬ 
jutant, and thus served the last twelve months of 
my army life. 

The surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia 
and all the troops under the rebel flag took place 
when we had been at the front but a short time, 
and, after the grand review at Washington of the 
Potomac and Western armies, most of the troops 
were mustered out; but as troops had to be retained 
to garrison Southern cities and forts and protect 
the freedmen, with other late enlisted commands 
our battalion was retained and served its entire time 
out, one year, and was finally mustered out April 
5, 18G6, twelve months after Lee’s surrender. 

This last term of service as a soldier was one of 
pleasant and light duties, in marked contrast to my 
life and experience in the field with our ever hard- 
worked and fighting brigade; for as a brigade or 
regiment we never knew what it was to have an 


50 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


easy time; always in the forefront if there was any¬ 
thing to be done. Now for a change. About July 
1st, the battalion was sent to Charleston, South 
Carolina, the city that had held me a prisoner only 
the September before, taking the shot and shell from 
Foster’s guns. I took much pleasure in visiting my 
old prison quarters and rejoiced in the change in my 
surroundings. About July 20th we were ordered 
to relieve a colored regiment then on duty in upper 
South Carolina, stationed in Greenville, Abbeville, 
Laurens, and Anderson districts away up toward 
the mountains with headquarters at Anderson Court 
House. When I found we were going into this sec¬ 
tion of the state I thought it would be strange if I 
did not see many familiar spots and come across 
some of the tried and true negroes who had been my 
friends a short time past, now freedmen, then slaves 
and guides. I had traveled as a helpless refugee 
through the entire length of three of the districts 
our command was to garrison. 

We stopped one day at Columbia on our way up 
the country, and the contrast between the present 
condition of the city and when I was a helpless 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


51 


prisoner was as marked as the contrast between my 
conditions at these two dates; for between them 
Sherman had made his march to the sea, and he had 
put his hand down heavily on this place; for at that 
hour half the city was in ashes, and 1 did not mourn 
in consequence. While there I visited my old prison 
camp of the November before; found what was left 
of my miserable apology of a brush tent that had 
served such a good purpose in sheltering me from 
the cold; visited the spring where we got our water, 
the spot where we broke through the lines on the 
20th of November. 

This simple visit to this abandoned camp meant 
much to me, far more than you can think, and I felt 
like a brother in an interesting prayer meeting that 
“it is good to be here under the present circum¬ 
stances.^ While at Columbia as a prisoner every 
morning the guard under command of a captain 
used to visit our camp, make us fall into line and 
count us off and see how many Yankees they had 
lost during the night, and report the number to issue 
rations to, and as this same officer came every day 
we soon came to know him very well, and a very de- 


52 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


cent fellow he was, too, for a rebel; used to do us 
little acts of kindness, which, if known by the post 
commander would have cost him his commission. 
His name was Martin. 

After leaving Columbia our first stop was at 
Anderson Court House, and, while the command 
were disembarking from the cars, I jumped on my 
horse and rode to a little cottage house near the de¬ 
pot, and, seeing a gentleman in the yard, asked him 
if he would oblige me with a glass of water. As 
soon as I saw his face it struck me as very familiar, 
but at the moment I could not tell when or where I 
had seen him, but on his return it flashed over me in 
an instant that it was Captain Martin, our old 
prison captain of Columbia, and at once addressed 
him as such. His surprise at being addressed by 
name by a perfect stranger in his town can be better 
imagined than told, but when he found who I was 
and that I had been one of the Yankees at Columbia, 
his joy was as great as his surprise. He invited me 
to the house, introduced me to his family, and, for 
the eight months we remained at the Court House, 
our friendship and acquaintance was unbroken. I 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


53 


found him a true, polished, but unfortunate South¬ 
ern gentleman; who had lost all he had by the war 
and was trying to make the best of the situation, 
and was then teaching school in the neighborhood. 

Our command was divided into five different 
towns with headquarters at Anderson, it being the 
largest town in our sub-district, and I was ap¬ 
pointed assistant adjutant-general of the district by 
General Ames at Columbia, to make contracts with 
the planters and freedmen throughout the region 
where our command was located; also to do other 
duties of a similar nature. This, of course, threw 
me into direct contact with all the freedmen and 
planters for many miles around, and scores of ne¬ 
groes whom I had met only a few months before. 
Then I was a refugee (not from justice, however), 
trying to hide my face from anything but a black 
one. Now, how changed; I was in temporary author¬ 
ity making contracts with these same loyal, faith¬ 
ful, and true blue negroes. Seven months before I 
was avoiding the white man’s house and presence as 
a pestilence; now I was invited to share the best his 
house afforded; not out of respect for me or the Gov- 


54 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


ernment I represented, only for policy’s sake, trust¬ 
ing to make a favorable impression by his seeming 
whole-souled hospitality; hoping I would make his 
contract with the freedman favorable to him rather 
than the blacks. Some of the freedmen did not re¬ 
member me, while on the contrary very many did, f 
and some of the latter were afraid even at that late 
day to have the fact made known to their former 
masters that they had ever met me before; afraid 
that these men might still do them harm for their 
acts of humanity to escaping Union prisoners. It 
was, indeed, strange to be found sitting at the table, 
as an invited guest, partaking of the hospitality of 
these Southern rebels on whose plantations we Had 
skulked and whose hen roosts had been robbed to 
feed us; some of the very same negroes waiting on 
the table whose hands had brought us food in the 
woods or thicket of some damp and cold swamp 
where we were being hid. We severally held our 
tongues, not from fear of wounding the feelings of 
the planter, but to save the negroes any future an¬ 
noyance, although I think they were needlessly 
alarmed. 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


55 


Before I forget it let me say just here that all con¬ 
tracts made by the planter and freedman, and they 
were many in the season of 1865, were considered 
very unjust by the planter, as they gave the negroes 
too large a proportion of the crops, stipulated too 
many conditions for their benefit, also gave each 
two suits of clothes a year where before he received 
but one. He, the planter, may have been right in 
his complaints, but it was the only known means 
at my disposal by which I could reach the entire 
number of negroes who had been my only friends 
when they were most needed, and return a small 
portion of the great debt and obligation I was under 
to the loyal black men and women. 

We remained in this location until the following 
April, some eight months, and among our duties was 
to assist all destitute loyal Southern people in 
the way of issuing Government rations; but they 
must prove their loyalty as a necessary requisite. 
We had many applications, some worthy and others 
not. To one of the former I wish to draw atten¬ 
tion. One night in December when we were with¬ 
out a guide and also very much in want of informa- 


56 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


tion and food, we were obliged to go to a house for 
all of these, and found a poor widow lady by the 
name of Prince, who, after feeding us took us to the 
band of outliers in the mountains. The night we 
were at her house before we started for the moun¬ 
tains she asked me if I would not give her a paper 
showing what she had done for us, as it might as¬ 
sist her should any Federal troops pass through that 
section. I was only too glad to do this, trusting 
that at some future time it might do her some good, 
although there was little chance that Union troops 
would ever be so far up the country. I made a sim¬ 
ple statement of what she had done for us and 
recommended her to the kindness of any future Fed¬ 
eral officer or soldier who might read the document. 

One day in August I was sitting alone in my 
quarters when my orderly said there was an old lady 
outside who wanted to see the Yankee officer who 
was giving food to loyal whites. I said, “Admit 
her,” and a true type of a poor white Southern wo¬ 
man came in. She told me her wants, said she was 
very poor, had no husband and three children on 
her hands, and, as the Government was helping such, 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


57 


she had applied, as she considered she was as 
loyal as any man or woman in Anderson district. 
My next question 'was, “What have you got to prove 
all this,” and she at once took from the bosom of 
her dress a neatly folded paper for my examination. 
As soon as my eyes dropped on the paper the writ¬ 
ing looked familiar, and looking at the bottom 
of the sheet I saw my own name where I had 
placed it the December before. As soon as I re¬ 
covered from my surprise I turned to the lady and 
said, “Madam, did you ever see me before?” and she 
said she reckoned not. I then asked her if she re¬ 
membered feeding four Yankee officers the winter 
before and then taking them to the outliers’ camp in 
the mountains. She said she did. I then said, 
“Mrs. Prince, I am one of those Yankees, the one 
that wrote that letter.” She said, “Good God! are 
you the little lieutenant?” I answered that it was 
indeed so. Then there was a scene. I do not know 
who was the most affected, for to tell the truth I 
was “all broke up,” for I had yet a tender memory 
for this woman and her acts of kindness. 

Well, in a short time we got down to business, let 


58 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


tender humanity and feeling pass. She felt that it 
was good to be there and renew old acquaintance 
again. This time I was the host, she the guest. I 
found she was living in the same locality where we 
had found her, some seventeen miles from the Court 
House in Pickens district. She told me that the 
men who had started through the mountains with 
us and had turned back on account of snow and 
Indians, had been met by the guard and many of 
them killed. Those that went to Knoxville joined 
the Union army. Some had been killed in late en¬ 
gagements of the war and the rest were at home 
where they would no doubt be glad to see me, al¬ 
though since their return from the Union lines some 
of them had been murdered by the returning rebel 
soldiers when they learned they had joined the 
Union army. Mrs. Prince went to her home in the 
mountains with a mule load of Government rations, 
much more than the allowance of a family larger 
than hers, but it was a case that made unusual 
demands upon my feelings and disposition, and 
I simply gratified my inclination to return good 
in kind with compound interest included- 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


59 


In May, 1875, while a resident of the city of Lynn, 
I was surprised by receiving the following corre¬ 
spondence from Augusta, Maine and Columbia, 
S. C.: 


Columbia, S. C., May 19, 1875. 

To F. A. Chick. 

My dear Friend: I was visited this morning by 
Capt. J. C. B. Smith, cashier of the Citizens Sav¬ 
ings Bank of this city, who, learning that my home 
is in Maine, desired to obtain the address, if pos¬ 
sible, of Lieut. H. A. Johnson, formerly of Company 
B, Third Maine Infantry. 

Captain Smith stated that Lieutenant Johnson 
was captured by his command (Company K, 
Twelfth South Carolina Infantry), at the battle of 
the Wilderness, May 5, 1864, and that he has in his 
possession the sword and sword belt of Lieutenant 
Johnson which he is desirous of returning to him if 
living, or, in the event of his death, to such of his 
family, if any, as may appreciate its value. The 
sword, which is a very elegant one, was presented 
(as appears by an inscription plate on one side of 
its metallic scabbard) to Lieutenant Johnson by 
his company, and, upon the opposite side, is a sim- 


60 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


ilar plate on which is inscribed the name of some 
twenty battles commencing with the first Bull Run 
and ending with Chantilly. 

Captain Smith states that it has always been his 
desire to restore this sword to Lieutenant Johnson 
as an evidence of admiration for his determined 
bravery when captured, where although surrounded 
and entirely cut off from support, he absolutely re¬ 
fused to surrender, and that it was with the greatest 
difficulty he prevented his men from firing in the ex¬ 
citement of the moment upon Lieutenant Johnson 
who appeared to regard the danger which menaced 
him with fearless indifference. When disarmed an 
excellent revolver was also taken from Lieutenant 
Johnson, but this afterwards was lost or stolen, 
and Captain Smith regrets his inability to restore 
it with the sword. 

Very truly yours, 

James H. Cochrane. 

Augustta, Me., May 25, 1875. 

H. A. Johnson, Esq., Lynn, Mass. 

Dear Sir: It is with pleasure that I have the 
privilege of forwarding to you the enclosed letter 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


61 


from Maj. J. H. Cochrane of Augusta, and now in 
Columbia, S. C. 

Very respectfully yours, 

F. A. Chick. 

June 4th, our regiment held, at Augusta, its first 
reunion since the close of the war eleven years be¬ 
fore, and it was suggested that it would be a pleas¬ 
ing incident of the reunion could this sword be re¬ 
ceived in season to have a second presentation by my 
old company, but I knew the time was too short for 
the mail to notify my captain and captor, so I was 
obliged to telegraph to have the sword forwarded by 
express to Maine and later I would explain my 
seeming haste. This letter called for the following 
reply from Captain Smith: 

Columbia, S. C., May 27, 1875. 

H. A. Johnson, Esq., Lynn, Mass. 

My dear Sir: Your telegram is just received at 
the hands of Maj. J. H. Cochrane. I assure you it 
gives me the greatest pleasure to be the medium by 
which your beautiful sword, the merited emblem of 
respect and honor, is now to be restored to you. 


62 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


Scarcely had the clouds of war been dissipated 
ere it became my earnest desire to return the 
weapon, with an expression of my sincere admira¬ 
tion of the gallantry with which you used it, but 
circumstances have hitherto prevented the execution 
of my design. I now forward the sword by express 
and accompany it by a sentiment which is common, 
I trust, to all sections of our great Country: 

“May all animosities be J)uried and hereafter may 
amity and an earnest co-operation prevail bettceen 
the States of the Union for the general good.” 

I am, 

Very truly yours, 

John C. B. Smith. 

I went to Maine to the reunion and the train that 
preceded the one I was on had among its express 
matter the sword. 

June 4th, just fourteen years after our muster 
into the United States service, the sword was again 
presented to me in the following words: 

“Lieutenant Johnson : I have now the pleasure 
to place in your hands the sword, which through cir¬ 
cumstances beyond your control was taken and kept 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


63 


from you; but permit me to assure you that even in 
the act of surrendering the same to the gallant 
Captain Smith of South Carolina, you have proved 
yourself true to the trust which the company put 
in you when first presenting this sword to you. 
May you have the pleasure of keeping it for many 
years, not to be drawn except in defence of right 
and justice for our beloved country, side by side and 
shoulder to shoulder, South Carolina and Maine 
against a common foe.” 

At the reunion the following resolution was 
passed: 

Third Maine Veteran Association, Bath, 

June 4, 1875. 

Dear Sir: At the first reunion of the former 
members of the Third Maine Regiment, holden this 
day at Augusta, Me., it was voted that the secretary 
officially notify you of the proceedings. In accord¬ 
ance with that vote it gives me great pleasure to 
inform you of the unanimous passage of the follow¬ 
ing resolution, after which three hearty cheers were 
given for Capt. John C. B. Smith, of the Twelfth 
South Carolina Regiment, Company K. 


64 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


Resolved, That we have a lively appreciation of 
the soldierly and chivalric conduct of Capt. J. C. B. 
Smith, of Company K, Twelfth South Carolina Reg¬ 
iment, in returning to a member of our organization 
his sword, taken from him under circumstances re¬ 
flecting nothing but honor on both parties. 

C. H. Greenleaf, 

Secretary. 

To Capt. John C. B. Smith, of Company K, 

South Carolina Regiment. 

June 8, 1891, I received the following letter: 

Columbia, S. C., June 8, 1891. 

Dear Friend Johnson : On the day of your cap¬ 
ture, the brigade to which my regiment was at¬ 
tached, occupied a position holding the left wing of 
that section of the Confederate army, Cook’s brigade 
was engaged on the plank road, and, being hard 
pressed, my brigade was ordered at a double-quick, 
for a quarter of a mile or more, to the scene of ac¬ 
tion where the fighting was going on around Cook’s 
ordnance wagons. 

My regiment went into action by the flank, pro¬ 
ceeding into line by column of companies, when fire 
was opened upon us by infantry and a section of 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


65 


artillery consisting of two pieces at short range. 
The colonel of my regiment fell, mortally wounded, 
and the lieutenant-colonel severely. Once in line, 
the regiment known in the brigade as the “bloody 
Twelfth/ 7 not from thirst for blood or cruelty, but 
for its well known fighting qualities, with the Con¬ 
federate yell swept everything before it but the dead 
and wounded, capturing the two pieces of artillery, 
before a second shot could be fired upon it. Going 
a considerable distance beyond the line, and finding 
no obstacles, and there being heavy firing on the 
right of the regiment, the left wing was swung 
around and moved on the rear of your line, and I am 
of the opinion that but for a ravine, difficult to 
cross, would have captured many more of your men. 
And it was here, that I, a little insignificant cap¬ 
tain, with no sign or badge of rank, save three small 
bars on the collar of my grey jacket, and three good 
and well tried soldiers came in contact with you and 
a fellow officer, in rank a major, as my memory 
serves me. Well do I remember your complete 
astonishment and your unwillingness to surrender. 
When I ordered you to, you exclaimed, calling to 
your fellow officer, “What shall we do? 77 and I an¬ 
swered the question for him by saying, “Surrender, 
by all means, 77 for my command was not more than 


66 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


twenty paces from you, and in full view of you, and 
an attempt to escape would have been sure death. 
For as it was, when you showed a disposition not to 
surrender, the soldiers by my side, all crack shots, 
had their guns leveled on you, and I ordered them 
not to shoot for I had too much respect and appre¬ 
ciation for a brave and good soldier, though an op¬ 
ponent in war, to let him be shot under such cir¬ 
cumstances. I took from you the beautiful sword 
presented to you by your company as a token of re¬ 
spect and honor, for your gallantry and noble dar¬ 
ing on twenty-two or more battlefields, engraven 
thereon, indicating clearly to me, that we had often 
met before! 

Very truly yours, 

J. C. B. Smith. 

Dec. 11, 1901, I received cards from Captain 
Smith’s youngest daughter inviting me to her mar¬ 
riage at Columbia, but circumstances prevented my 
attending. Oct. 24, 1902, I received a card from 
this daughter stating a little baby boy had been 
given her and she was a very happy mother. These 
two events again opened the broken correspondence 
with the Smith family, much to my joy, for I did not 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


67 


want them to drop out of my life, and, thinking I 
could reach the mother’s heart best through her 
child, and, being very grateful for the kind acts of 
the grandfather, Captain Smith, I procured an ap¬ 
propriate loving cup properly inscribed, for the baby 
boy, the first and only grandchild in the family. 

Columbia, S. C., March 5, 1903. 

My dear Mr. Johnson : Last night your note, 
ever to be kept in memory, heralded the coming of 
the beautiful loving cup, and to-day vour loving 
words and the exquisite testimony of the affection 
you feel for papa’s grandchild, are welcomed by us 
all with supreme joy. If he was only here, how 
happy he would be, for the affection he bore his 
“Friend Johnson,” as he called you, was very great. 
Those few moments of your only earthly meeting 
were ever green in his memory. Countless were the 
times he referred to it, and during the last years of 
his journey here, in recounting the incident, his 
great heart had grown so tender, that, great, brave 
man that he was, tears would fill his eyes as he lived 
again in those memory laden years. At no time did 
he seem to think he had showed any special hu¬ 
manity in his attitude towards you. “He was such 


68 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


a splendid, brave fellow, he couldn’t bear to surren¬ 
der to the enemy. Instead he faced death unflinch¬ 
ingly. Shade Thomas, the ‘crack shot’ in my com¬ 
pany had his gun leveled on him to shoot, but he was 
too brave and I called out to Thomas, ‘Don’t shoot! 
he’s too brave!’ Then I persuaded him to surren¬ 
der. The bravest fellow I ever saw.” Those were 
the glowing words with which he described you. 
We, that’s my sister and myself, would ask with 
a child’s love for the comely, how his hero looked, 
and he would answer enthusiastically, “Oh! he 
was a strikingly handsome fellow!” You were his 
knight, in a measure, his “Lockinvar.” 

This afternoon, on their return from town, 
mamma and Daisy brought the lovely cup. Your 
exquisite gift was unpacked by mamma’s careful 
hands, and she, as the person most fit, presented 
the cup to our little one. As its beauty was re¬ 
vealed to his inquiring little eyes, two dimpled 
hands clutched each handle and two dewy lips were 
pressed to the rim. He was as much delighted as 
four months of humanity can be. When it was 
taken from him he protested so violently that I had 
to allow him to touch it again. 

This loving cup will be cherished always in the 
loving memory of the two great men who inspired it. 
Nothing could be more appropriate than the inscrip- 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


69 


tion embellishing our boy’s cup. May it be God’s 
will that my child shall live, so that as soon as possi¬ 
ble, we may teach him to love and revere the very 
significant inscription on his cup. You will be his 
hero as well as his grandfather’s. Your memory 
shall be ever dear to him. 

Friday Morning. 

At this juncture I was interrupted by Berry (my 
husband), coming in from the store. His delight 
over the cup was supreme. I assure you, my dear 
Mr. Johnson, our cup is very full as we behold it. 
In all time, in adversity and prosperity, this loving 
cup will stand as a treasure above price in our 
household. No words can convey the overwhelming 
joy and gratitude we feel for this gift of love. 

Futher words will be in vain to express all I feel. 
May it be God’s will that your years may be many 
more upon this earth; may his greatest blessing, 
happiness, be heaped upon your head. May we meet 
upon this earth, but if it is His will that it should 
be otherwise, may we all meet in that Eternal Home 
beyond the skies. Let us pray daily for this final 
meeting. Hoping to hear from you often, believe 
me, always, 

Yours in love and gratitude, 

Lila Mobley. 


TO 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


The State, a paper printed in Columbia, had the 
following: 

THE BLUE AND THE GRAY. 

Taken from a Northerner in Memory of a Southeim 
Friend. 

Berry Hill Mobley, the infant son of Mr. and Mrs. 
B. H. Mobley of this city, have recently received a 
beautiful loving cup from Mr. Hannibal A. Johnson 
of Worcester, Mass., a friend of Capt. J. C. B. 
Smith, the grandfather of the infant. The cup 
bears this significant and appropriate inscription: 

“Oct. 24th, 1902, Berry Hill Mobley, Jr. From 
his grandfather’s friend, Lieut. H. A. Johnson, Wor¬ 
cester, Mass. Met as enemies May 5th, 1864, at 
Battle of the Wilderness, as friends May 27th, 1875, 
and ever afterward.” 

Lieut. Hannibal A. Johnson, Co. B, Third Maine 
Infantry, was captured at the Battle of the Wilder¬ 
ness, May 5th, 1864, by the late Capt. J. C. B. 
Smith of this city. On that occasion the valiant 
Lieutenant Johnson refused to surrender to Captain 
Smith. Whereupon the “crack shot” of Captain 


FROM CAPTIVITY TO FREEDOM. 


71 


Smith’s company leveled his gun on Lieutenant 
Johnson to shoot him, but Captain Smith interfered 
because of the Northerner’s unusual bravery, and 
finally persuaded him to surrender. 

Singularly, Lieutenant Johnson was imprisoned 
in Columbia, Captain Smith’s native town. He es¬ 
caped from the Confederate prison here and after 
many thrilling experiences rejoined the Union army. 

In May, 1875, Captain Smith returned to Lieut¬ 
enant Johnson his sword, a very valuable one, on 
which twenty-two battles were engraved. Since 
then a very warm friendship has sprung up between 
these two families. The loving cup is an appro¬ 
priate reminder of the tender regard in which 
Lieutenant Johnson holds Captain Smith’s memory. 

Possibly some of my comrades may criticise my 
friendship for my Confederate friend; if so, God 
pity their narrow souls, for when Robert Lee’s 
brave and beaten veterans stacked their mus¬ 
kets at Appomattox and took their parole from the 
big-hearted Grant and returned to their homes to 
once more become citizens of our reunited Country 
with but one flag for all, all my hostility ceased, 


72 


THE SWORD OF HONOR. 


and I could take the hand of a Southern veteran 
and wish him well. My bitterness departed when 
the armies of Lee and Johnston turned their backs 
upon the past and became loyal citizens of the 
United States, and, while I condemn rebellion as 
much as any one who wore the blue, I have never 
taken much stock in those the last to forgive. 

Captain Smith had no call to return my sword, 
for with everything lost but his honor and man¬ 
hood, he was entitled to all he received in honest 
encounter, and I tell ; ou comrades, it takes a 
mighty large heart and a magnanimous soul to do 
as he did, but he, like our noble hearted Grant, 
when the end came, said, 

“Let Us Have Peace.” 




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